Old Home Town – 40 years ago

An additional $26 million was appropriated for production of Vietnam War propellant at the Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant at De Soto. The work force had climbed from 180 to 3,500 during the reactivation of the site 13 miles east of Lawrence on Kansas Highway 10. Ironically, news of the new funding came the day after the local July 4 fireworks displays.